Larry Stephen Kratzer, 71, of Emmaus, died Dec. 19, 2020. Born in Allentown, he was the son of the late Raymond Kratzer and Emma (Schuster) Kratzer.

While he battled a number of illnesses the most severe of which was Parkinson’s disease which robbed him of his ability to communicate, his mind was still very sharp to the end.

He was a lifelong member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Emmaus.

He was an avid sports fan and was extremely knowledgeable about many sports. He was particularly a fan of baseball, horse racing, tennis and watching softball at Lyons Field and Patriots Park. His favorite team was the New York Yankees, his favorite horse was Secretariat and his favorite tennis player was Steffi Graf.

He had an extensive library about baseball and the Yankees, including every Yankee yearbook ever printed. He frequently attended University of Delaware matches to watch his niece play as well as the U.S. Open where he amassed a collection of personally signed autographs of many major tennis players.

He enjoyed time with many of his high school classmates and was active as a class historian and helped with arranging class reunions. He was an “oldies” music fan and had a significant collection of classic 1950s and 1960s music.

His working career included Air Products and General Electric.

He is survived by a brother, Dale and his wife, Nancy; nieces, Julia Menzo, of Lansdale and Ann Leese, of Carlisle; great-nieces and great-nephews, Eva, Emma, Aaron and Eric; many cousins.

His family expresses their gratitude to caregivers cousins, Debbie and Cindy; friend, Kathy and friend, Andre.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lutheran Congregational Services, c/o the Lutheran Center, 7002 Butler Pike, Ambler, 19002.

Arrangements were made by the Bachman, Kulik & Reinsmith Funeral Homes, Emmaus.